Mar 1, 2022, 6:35 am
Last edit by: CKDGM
Passport Agency Appointments (same day expedited service)
Appointments for same-day expedited service often go quickly. It is best that you schedule your appointment with the passport agency exactly 14 days before your trip. You will want to call the passport number before the center opens at 8am EST as they will have just opened up one day (14 days out) of appointments at all agencies. Appointment times start at 8am. It is important that you have enough buffer in your travel schedule. For example, if you make an appointment for a new passport at 11am and your time of travel is at 2pm, there will not be enough time for you to get your passport. If you book the 8am slot you may have to wait until the end of the business day to get your new passport or it may only be a few hours.
You will want to have your date of travel, time of travel, your flight itinerary number, name of destination, full name of applicant, and applicant's birth city, and the zip code of where you live (to help them find the closest available center with open slots). Use the following steps to increase your chances of success to booking an appointment as they can go very quickly:
Credit: chgoeditor
Known office locator numbers (not complete)
Note: The office code (first two digits of your application locator number returned by Passport Status) is the office reviewing your documents and approving your application. It isn't necessarily the address you mailed the forms to (always Irving or Philadelphia for renewals) nor the facility where the book is physically printed and mailed (often Tucson or Hot Springs).
10: Boston
11: NYC
12: Honolulu
14: Stamford, CT
15: Portsmouth, NH
17: Aurora, CO
18: Chicago
19: Washington, DC
20-29: Portsmouth, NH
34-39: Charleston
40-42: New Orleans, LA
45: Portsmouth, NH
50: Los Angeles, CA
51: Miami
53: Seattle
54: Minneapolis
55: Dallas
56: Detroit
57: San Francisco
58: Philadelphia, PA
61-64: Tucson
65: Hot Springs, AR
67: San Juan, PR
68: Portsmouth, NH
69: Portsmouth, NH
71: US embassies/consulates abroad (possibly Portsmouth, NH)
74: Atlanta
75: St Albans, VT
76: San Diego, CA
77: Buffalo, NY
78: El Paso, TX
79: Houston, TX
80: Special Issuance Agency ("Issues diplomatic, official, service, and no-fee regular passports, and facilitates visa processing for those traveling on behalf of the U.S. government.")
95: Online
A list of agencies and their locator numbers is listed on this page under the heading, "List of passport agencies and centers with locator numbers."
H/T Nayef, txviking, and various individual posts both here and on Reddit. If you have a locator not in the above list, check the return address agency name or postmark/ZIP on your returned citizenship docs, or passport card if you applied for one, which may be the processing office, although the address itself is likely to be a PO Box in Sterling, VA in all cases (which appears to be a lockbox location that processes mail for all locations). The passport books are printed in fewer locations, often Hot Springs and Tucson, and may not correspond to the agency where the processing steps occurred. If it doesnt match the list above, please add or correct.
Appointments for same-day expedited service often go quickly. It is best that you schedule your appointment with the passport agency exactly 14 days before your trip. You will want to call the passport number before the center opens at 8am EST as they will have just opened up one day (14 days out) of appointments at all agencies. Appointment times start at 8am. It is important that you have enough buffer in your travel schedule. For example, if you make an appointment for a new passport at 11am and your time of travel is at 2pm, there will not be enough time for you to get your passport. If you book the 8am slot you may have to wait until the end of the business day to get your new passport or it may only be a few hours.
You will want to have your date of travel, time of travel, your flight itinerary number, name of destination, full name of applicant, and applicant's birth city, and the zip code of where you live (to help them find the closest available center with open slots). Use the following steps to increase your chances of success to booking an appointment as they can go very quickly:
- 14 days before your trip, you need to schedule an appointment with the passport agency.
- At 7:55 am call the passport number 877-487-2778 (This have to be exactly 14 days before your plane ticket or less. If less, it will get harder to find an appointment)
- Click 1 (For English)
- Click 2 (New Passport)
- Continue to Click 7 to repeat, and keep doing this while watching your watch or using Time.gov to get the exact time down to the second.
- When your it hits exactly 8:00 am Click 2 (for traveling within 14 days option)
- There will be a delay of 3-4 second and you will wait for the next available agent. If you are very lucky, you will be put straight through to an agent. You may be waiting few minutes or maybe as long as 15-20 minutes.
- If you did not click 1 exactly at 8 am, you may have to wait for more than an hour and half
Credit: chgoeditor
Known office locator numbers (not complete)
Note: The office code (first two digits of your application locator number returned by Passport Status) is the office reviewing your documents and approving your application. It isn't necessarily the address you mailed the forms to (always Irving or Philadelphia for renewals) nor the facility where the book is physically printed and mailed (often Tucson or Hot Springs).
10: Boston
11: NYC
12: Honolulu
14: Stamford, CT
15: Portsmouth, NH
17: Aurora, CO
18: Chicago
19: Washington, DC
20-29: Portsmouth, NH
34-39: Charleston
40-42: New Orleans, LA
45: Portsmouth, NH
50: Los Angeles, CA
51: Miami
53: Seattle
54: Minneapolis
55: Dallas
56: Detroit
57: San Francisco
58: Philadelphia, PA
61-64: Tucson
65: Hot Springs, AR
67: San Juan, PR
68: Portsmouth, NH
69: Portsmouth, NH
71: US embassies/consulates abroad (possibly Portsmouth, NH)
74: Atlanta
75: St Albans, VT
76: San Diego, CA
77: Buffalo, NY
78: El Paso, TX
79: Houston, TX
80: Special Issuance Agency ("Issues diplomatic, official, service, and no-fee regular passports, and facilitates visa processing for those traveling on behalf of the U.S. government.")
95: Online
A list of agencies and their locator numbers is listed on this page under the heading, "List of passport agencies and centers with locator numbers."
H/T Nayef, txviking, and various individual posts both here and on Reddit. If you have a locator not in the above list, check the return address agency name or postmark/ZIP on your returned citizenship docs, or passport card if you applied for one, which may be the processing office, although the address itself is likely to be a PO Box in Sterling, VA in all cases (which appears to be a lockbox location that processes mail for all locations). The passport books are printed in fewer locations, often Hot Springs and Tucson, and may not correspond to the agency where the processing steps occurred. If it doesnt match the list above, please add or correct.
Current US passport wait? (Merged Threads)
Apr 26, 2023 | 10:46 am
#2401
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Sub Carolina
Programs: AC, AA, TK, OW Emerald
Posts: 1,579
4/21: Mailed passport renewal by Priority Mail, paid for expedited service.
4/24: Delivered to Passport Processing Center P.O. Box and picked up.
4/26: Check cashed.
4/26: Online status page shows “In Process".
Locator number: 69 (Portsmouth, NH).
4/24: Delivered to Passport Processing Center P.O. Box and picked up.
4/26: Check cashed.
4/26: Online status page shows “In Process".
Locator number: 69 (Portsmouth, NH).
Apr 27, 2023 | 11:10 am
#2403
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: East Coast US
Programs: Hyatt: Diamond. Marriott: Platinum. AA: EXP 1MM. Delta: Silver. Etihad: Silver. Emirates Silver
Posts: 412
New data points from me! So happy to be part of this little ballet again. This time there is no rush, hence:
March 17th - deposited two normal US passport applications at USPS for children. Renewals. One of them has a request for an endorsement - let's see if that delays it.
March 24th - first cheque cashed.
March 27th - second cheque cashed (electronically).
Both are showing as "in process" since March 24th, apparently being dealt with in Buffalo. No emails received despite requesting them.
Alex
March 17th - deposited two normal US passport applications at USPS for children. Renewals. One of them has a request for an endorsement - let's see if that delays it.
March 24th - first cheque cashed.
March 27th - second cheque cashed (electronically).
Both are showing as "in process" since March 24th, apparently being dealt with in Buffalo. No emails received despite requesting them.
Alex
Apr 27, 2023 | 11:43 am
#2404
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,960
Before receiving this communication, I had also tried to call the 877# this morning, and had the option for a call back since hold time was over an hour. I requested the call back, but that was over six hours ago and crickets.
Apr 27, 2023 | 1:58 pm
#2405
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 291
Nothing has changed. I just checked online. Showing as "in process" since March 24th.
I fully expect it to take 4 months considering current performance and the upwards trajectory of processing times. But we have no travel until September. And we are not returning to USA until October, so leaving on a passport issued by speedier bureaucracies and redoing the US papers at a consulate abroad are an option - as per GUWonder's post above!
I fully expect it to take 4 months considering current performance and the upwards trajectory of processing times. But we have no travel until September. And we are not returning to USA until October, so leaving on a passport issued by speedier bureaucracies and redoing the US papers at a consulate abroad are an option - as per GUWonder's post above!
Last edited by crescatfloreat; Apr 27, 2023 at 2:00 pm Reason: Update
Apr 27, 2023 | 2:08 pm
#2406
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 291
The fact is that the old passport can be examined by the embassy/consulate personnel for the DS-11/DS-82s and the passport returned to the applicant for the applicant’s use during the entire period between the applicant submitting the application in-person at the embassy/consulate and returning to the embassy/consulate to pick up the new (full duration) passport. I touched upon this being done in a post in this thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35146999-post2367.html
See the last sentence in the first paragraph of that post: “It’s also possible for the embassy/consulate to allow the applicant to keep the current passport (used for the application) for use (to stay and/or travel) until picking up the new full duration passport after it gets back to the station.” Upon being informed via email that the passport is back at the station, someone just needs to show up with the email and the old passport (and their own passport/ID) and then the station will collect the old passport, invalidate it, and return the invalidated passport and the new passport.
In other words, this allowance for applicants outside of the US reduces the strength of a case for wanting a second/limited duration US passport as a secondary US passport.
Yes, lots of acquaintances do this with their children. Both parents present is part of the same routine as when doing it at passport agency offices in the US. Without an appointment, the embassy/consulate may make a fuss and reject access — depending on the particular circumstances involved for a potential applicant. In other words, for those considering this, best to book an appointment for passport services at the consulate/embassy before wanting to count on having it done while visiting another country.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35146999-post2367.html
See the last sentence in the first paragraph of that post: “It’s also possible for the embassy/consulate to allow the applicant to keep the current passport (used for the application) for use (to stay and/or travel) until picking up the new full duration passport after it gets back to the station.” Upon being informed via email that the passport is back at the station, someone just needs to show up with the email and the old passport (and their own passport/ID) and then the station will collect the old passport, invalidate it, and return the invalidated passport and the new passport.
In other words, this allowance for applicants outside of the US reduces the strength of a case for wanting a second/limited duration US passport as a secondary US passport.
Yes, lots of acquaintances do this with their children. Both parents present is part of the same routine as when doing it at passport agency offices in the US. Without an appointment, the embassy/consulate may make a fuss and reject access — depending on the particular circumstances involved for a potential applicant. In other words, for those considering this, best to book an appointment for passport services at the consulate/embassy before wanting to count on having it done while visiting another country.
Disadvantage: since the USPS people are not officers of the passport bureaucracy the passport needs to be sent along for inspection too. Something that you can avoid by doing it at a consulate!
Conclusion: once you have managed to get your hands on a US passport, make sure to always renew abroad if you want speedy service? :-)
Last edited by crescatfloreat; Apr 27, 2023 at 2:13 pm
Apr 27, 2023 | 5:14 pm
#2407
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
Thank you, that is very helpful. As a foreigner, I remain frequently baffled at how certain things are so easy, and other things so difficult in the US compared to what I am used to. Advantage of being able to renew the passport at USPS: great convenience.
Disadvantage: since the USPS people are not officers of the passport bureaucracy the passport needs to be sent along for inspection too. Something that you can avoid by doing it at a consulate!
Conclusion: once you have managed to get your hands on a US passport, make sure to always renew abroad if you want speedy service? :-)
Disadvantage: since the USPS people are not officers of the passport bureaucracy the passport needs to be sent along for inspection too. Something that you can avoid by doing it at a consulate!
Conclusion: once you have managed to get your hands on a US passport, make sure to always renew abroad if you want speedy service? :-)
But now it’s other people’s kids and adults I send in to get passport applications turned faster (and cheaper) than at home. There are the inconveniences of needing passport appointments at the selected embassy/consulate and of the security/security restrictions to enter the consulates/embassies; but if in the national capital or primary commercial capital of a foreign country for 3 weeks at a stretch anyway or returning within 3-4 weeks to the same such place, it’s been a reliable way for my acquaintances to rather quickly get new passports back. And since the embassies/consulates tend to be in nicer parts of the cities, at times it could be considered an outing to check out an area that may otherwise not have been seen while visiting.The typical turn I see in the EU this year too is usually less than 8 business days.
Apr 27, 2023 | 8:29 pm
#2408
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 291
I have an almost embarrassing number of people staying at my/my familys places outside of the US doing in-person passports renewals while outside of the US. Its the successor to an old habit I picked up as a kid when wanting to get some home feeling while out of the country and looking for excuses to go to the embassies. But now its other peoples kids and adults I send in to get passport applications turned faster (and cheaper) than at home. There are the inconveniences of needing passport appointments at the selected embassy/consulate and of the security/security restrictions to enter the consulates/embassies; but if in the national capital or primary commercial capital of a foreign country for 3 weeks at a stretch anyway or returning within 3-4 weeks to the same such place, its been a reliable way for my acquaintances to rather quickly get new passports back. And since the embassies/consulates tend to be in nicer parts of the cities, at times it could be considered an outing to check out an area that may otherwise not have been seen while visiting.
The typical turn I see in the EU this year too is usually less than 8 business days.
But now its other peoples kids and adults I send in to get passport applications turned faster (and cheaper) than at home. There are the inconveniences of needing passport appointments at the selected embassy/consulate and of the security/security restrictions to enter the consulates/embassies; but if in the national capital or primary commercial capital of a foreign country for 3 weeks at a stretch anyway or returning within 3-4 weeks to the same such place, its been a reliable way for my acquaintances to rather quickly get new passports back. And since the embassies/consulates tend to be in nicer parts of the cities, at times it could be considered an outing to check out an area that may otherwise not have been seen while visiting.The typical turn I see in the EU this year too is usually less than 8 business days.
Apr 27, 2023 | 10:24 pm
#2409
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH LTDiamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA MM LT1P
Posts: 21,136
I have an almost embarrassing number of people staying at my/my familys places outside of the US doing in-person passports renewals while outside of the US. Its the successor to an old habit I picked up as a kid when wanting to get some home feeling while out of the country and looking for excuses to go to the embassies. But now its other peoples kids and adults I send in to get passport applications turned faster (and cheaper) than at home. There are the inconveniences of needing passport appointments at the selected embassy/consulate and of the security/security restrictions to enter the consulates/embassies; but if in the national capital or primary commercial capital of a foreign country for 3 weeks at a stretch anyway or returning within 3-4 weeks to the same such place, its been a reliable way for my acquaintances to rather quickly get new passports back. And since the embassies/consulates tend to be in nicer parts of the cities, at times it could be considered an outing to check out an area that may otherwise not have been seen while visiting.
The typical turn I see in the EU this year too is usually less than 8 business days.
But now its other peoples kids and adults I send in to get passport applications turned faster (and cheaper) than at home. There are the inconveniences of needing passport appointments at the selected embassy/consulate and of the security/security restrictions to enter the consulates/embassies; but if in the national capital or primary commercial capital of a foreign country for 3 weeks at a stretch anyway or returning within 3-4 weeks to the same such place, its been a reliable way for my acquaintances to rather quickly get new passports back. And since the embassies/consulates tend to be in nicer parts of the cities, at times it could be considered an outing to check out an area that may otherwise not have been seen while visiting.The typical turn I see in the EU this year too is usually less than 8 business days.
David
Apr 27, 2023 | 11:41 pm
#2410
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1MM, Marriott LTP, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,029
No change in the status, still "In Process," but the passport agency replied to my congressman's office stating that my application would be put in the queue with other congressional inquiries by date of travel, which is now only a week and a half away.
Before receiving this communication, I had also tried to call the 877# this morning, and had the option for a call back since hold time was over an hour. I requested the call back, but that was over six hours ago and crickets.
Before receiving this communication, I had also tried to call the 877# this morning, and had the option for a call back since hold time was over an hour. I requested the call back, but that was over six hours ago and crickets.
Apr 28, 2023 | 12:15 am
#2411
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH LTDiamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA MM LT1P
Posts: 21,136
Apr 28, 2023 | 12:52 pm
#2412
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,960
I found it disconcerting that she also checked for appointments at the Miami in-person location without my requesting this, but told me there were no appointments available, and suggested that if I hear nothing by the middle of next week, that I call back to see if I can get an appt. in Miami, a 4-5 hour drive one way.
Apr 28, 2023 | 1:04 pm
#2413
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,960
But if I no longer live there, could I have submitted a renewal application using my in-law's Danish address? Obviously, I would have had to do this when my current passport was still more than six months from expiration in order to get into Denmark. I assumed that the passport services via the embassy were for citizens living abroad and/or emergency situations, not to process a routine renewal.
Apr 28, 2023 | 1:14 pm
#2414
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,683
btain a new passport.
Apr 28, 2023 | 1:28 pm
#2415
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, DL DM, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,368
